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Salt,
Raw Material
Pasta is made from a mixture of water and semolina
flour. Semolina is a coarse-ground flour from the heart,
or endosperm, of durum wheat, an amber-colored high
protein hard wheat that is grown specifically for the
manufacture of pasta. With a lower starch content and a
higher protein content than all-purpose flours, semolina
flour is easily digested. Farina, rougher granulations of
other high-quality hard wheat, is also used to make
Milling
Semolina
Rolling
Pasteurization
4 The roll of dough moves through a steamer, which
heats the dough to 220F (104C) in order to kill
any existing bacteria.
Cutting
Drying
6 The pasta is placed in a drying tank in which heat,
moisture, and drying time are strictly regulated.
The drying period differs for the various types of
pasta. It can range from three hours for elbow
macaroni and egg noodles to as much as 12 hours
for spaghetti. The drying time is critical because if
the pasta is dried too quickly it will break and if it
is dried too slowly, the chance for spoilage
increases. The oxygen level in the tank is also
regulated, and lab technicians test frequently for
salmonella and other bacteria. Careful handling of
the pasta during the drying period is also crucial.
Spaghetti is the most fragile of the noodles and is
therefore hung high above the floor.
Packaging
7 Fresh pasta is folded in pre-measured amounts into
clear plastic containers. As the containers move
along a conveyer belt, a plastic sheet covers each
container and is sealed with a hot press. At the
same time, a small tube sucks the air of the
container and replaces it with a mixture of carbon
dioxide and nitrogen to prolong the product's
shelf-life. Labels listing the type of noodle,
nutritional information, cooking instructions, and
expiration date are attached to the top of the
Homemade Pasta
The Future
Pasta continues to increase in popularity. The National
Pasta Foods Association estimates that the average
American will eat more than 29 pounds (13 kg) of pasta
each year by the turn of the century. Highly rated for its
nutritional value, pasta is an ideal meal for people who
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